Alcohol consumption and the risk of heart failure: the Suita Study and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies

Alcohol consumption is a modifiable lifestyle, but its role in heart failure (HF) development is controversial. Researchers investigated the prospective association between alcohol consumption and HF risk.
A total of 2,712 participants (1,149 men and 1,563 women) from the Suita Study were followed up every two years. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of HF risk were calculated for heavy drinking (≥46 g/day in men or ≥23 g/day in women) and never drinking compared to light drinking (<23 g/day in men or <11.5 g/day in women). The results of the Suita Study were then combined with those from other eligible prospective cohort studies in a meta-analysis using the random-effects model.
In the Suita Study, within a median follow-up period of 8 years, 319 HF cases (162 in men and 157 in women) were detected. In men, but not women, never and heavy drinking carried a higher risk of HF than light drinking: HRs (95% CIs) = 1.65 (1.00, 2.73) and 2.14 (1.26, 3.66), respectively. Similarly, the meta-analysis showed a higher risk of HF among heavy drinkers: HR (95% CI) = 1.37 (1.15, 1.62) and abstainers: HR (95% CI) = 1.18 (1.02, 1.37).
The results indicated a J-shaped association between alcohol consumption and HF risk among Japanese men. The results of the meta-analysis came in line with the Suita Study. Heavy-drinking men should be targeted for lifestyle modification interventions, the authors suggest.
Source: Arafa A, Kashima R, Kokubo Y, Teramoto M, Sakai Y, Nosaka S, Kawachi H, Shimamoto K, Matsumoto C, Gao Q, Izumi C. Alcohol consumption and the risk of heart failure: the Suita Study and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Environ Health Prev Med. 2023;28:26.